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A Survey among schoolchildren shows that while some of them believe we should eat less fat, they are unsure about how to achieve this. B.K.Lund, K. Gregson, R.J. Neals and C.H. Tilston describe their research.

Presents the results of a self‐completed questionnaire aimed at determining the dietary patterns of all meals on wheels (MOW) for elderly recipients in Leicester which was distributed to 1,500 people in November 1990. A response rate of 75 per cent was achieved (32.8 per cent male and 67.2 per cent female), the greatest proportion being in the 80‐89 age range, with 91.1 per cent of the total number of recipients receiving four or five meals per week from the MOW service. Seventy‐four per cent of all recipients reported consuming other meals or snacks in addition to their MOW. The remaining 26 per cent failed to report eating anything else but their MOW. Of the total who reported eating other meals or snacks, 73.9 per cent reported they had breakfast, 12.8 per cent a mid‐morning snack, 23.4 per cent a mid‐afternoon snack, 58.8 per cent an evening meal/snack and 26 per cent supper. Presents a further breakdown of the main food patterns on each of these eating occasions, the major foods being convenience (bread, biscuits, cake etc) with little evidence of hot meal preparation.

Primary schoolchildren′s snack food consumption patterns and food preferences were investigated by interview technique in schools in Germany and England and analysed on the basis of culture, sex and social class. There were significant differences in the proportions of children who took chocolate to school in the various social classes in both England and Germany and there were also highly significant differences in the total number of chocolate bars consumed each week by the different social classes in both countries. Food choices from a table display containing a range of snack foods popular in both countries showed highly significant differences between German and English children with German children preferring a much higher proportion of “healthy food options”, e.g. fruit, yogurt, milchschnitte (sponge cake snack), etc. compared with English children who chose four chocolate products out of their five most preferred items. Reasons for such differences could be related to advertising pressures, nutrition education experience, parental attitudes, convenience and availability, income constraints and psychological factors.

A survey, conducted in ten secondary schools in Nottingham and involving 492 respondents aged 11‐16, examined the relationship between adolescents′ attitudes towards food components such as fat, protein and fibre and their attitudes towards the role of specific food items containing those components in maintaining a healthy diet. The results showed that attitudes towards selected food components tended to be held more strongly than attitudes towards foods containing those components. Thus whilst nearly 80 per cent respondents favoured a reduction in fat intake, only 45.8 per cent favoured a decrease in butter consumption. Attitudes towards specific food components and specific food items are a function of a number of complex inter‐related variables which require further investigation.

As a result of a marketing study to evaluate the consumer characteristics, service provision and degree of satisfaction with meals‐on‐wheels, recipients were found to have different characteristics from the general population, being on average, older, widowed, living alone, having little social contact, in poor health and not very mobile. A large majority received four or more meals per week; a hot meal was more popular than a cold one and the most popular time of delivery was around midday. A large majority of recipients were satisfied with the service.

Combines a marketing study of the Meals on Wheels (MoW) service in Leicester, with a study of food consumption patterns in 1,500 elderly persons by the use of a self‐completed questionnaire, which aimed to evaluate the consumer characteristics, service provision and degree of satisfaction of MoW recipients and identify specific areas of dissatisfaction. Overall 88 per cent said they were very satisfied or satisfied with the service. Food consumption patterns showed that the majority of the elderly ate other food besides MoW but 26 per cent of recipients provided no information, suggesting that little other food was eaten. Further research is required on preference ratings for various types of meals and on the attitudes of the elderly to certain food types, e.g. fruit, vegetables, milk and other dairy products.

With approximately 60 per cent of the adult female population in the UK (14.2 million women) slimming either seriously or as a token gesture, a survey of the attitudes of 200 women to slimming and slimming foods was conducted between October and December 1991 by either face‐to‐face interview or questionnaire in several East Midlands towns in England. Responses to questions were obtained on reasons for weight loss, whether medical advice was sought, how many calories gave steady weight loss, whether dieting took place at certain times of the year, whether women were satisfied with weight loss achieved, and reasons for dissatisfaction with weight loss. Further studies on attitudes to foods used in dieting were measured, in particular the use of “meal replacements”. Using rating scales the various meal replacements were categorized on the basis of cost, nutritional quality, ease of preparation, taste, satiety, variety and overall satisfaction. The study has shown the profile of the “typical” female dieter and her concerns about the foods available to help her “slim” effectively.

Describes an in‐depth study of the attitudes to food, food consumption patterns and health of young vegetarian women (aged 15‐30). Studies women as the ratio of female to male vegetarians is 2:1. Self‐completed questionnaires formed the basis of the study and provided information on length of time and degree of commitment to vegetarianism, affect on social relationships, and moral and health factors and food factors influencing the decision to become vegetarian. Food factors appeared to be less distinctive than moral and health factors. Concludes that more research is required, particularly into the strict vegan section of the population.

The dietary awareness of primary school children towards selected food items and components including bread, potatoes, dairy products, fat, fish, meat, fresh fruit, salt, sugar and sweets was evaluated using an interview technique. The children were asked whether they ought to eat more, the same or less of each food and the results are presented for the sample of younger and older children. The results indicate that these selected food items can be broken down into three main areas. First there are those where the majority of children thought we ought to increase consumption; bread, potatoes, dairy products, fish, meat and fresh fruit. Second there is a group of food components including salt, fat and sugar in which there is closer similarity in those advocating more or less consumption. Third there are the food products such as sweets where there are significant differences between age groups, and changes in attitude occur in a limited age span. A discussion of the implications of this work for nutrition education, new food product development and socio‐economic policy is presented together with recommendations for future research.

Over the past few years several reports have been published recommending voluntary changes in UK diet in the interests of health. Major recommendations include a reduction in the consumption of fat, sugar and salt and an increase in consumption of fibre. A survey conducted in ten secondary schools in Nottingham and involving 492 respondents showed that adolescents between the ages of 11 and 16 generally favoured a decrease in consumption of fat and sugar and an increased consumption of fibre. However only half of the sample thought that salt intake should be reduced. There were significant differences in response based on the age and sex of the respondents. Reduction in fat and sugar intakes was a particularly dominant attitude amongst older girls, and this may be due to their concern over appearance rather than their concern for health.